The Most Dangerous Country
by Procyonpaw
Summary: Based on the short story The Most Dangerous Game, Ludwig swims toward an island that has a dark, terrifying secret...


_**Author's Note: **__After my long "break," which consisted of endless streams of tests and homework, I was convinced by my editor to write again. For your information, I gave Ludwig a last name because he doesn't have one in canon. I also did not follow the story event by event, though it carries the general idea of the tale._

_Thanks for reading!_

XX

**The Most Dangerous Country**

**Based on the short story **_**The Most Dangerous Country **_**by Richard Connell **

**By: Procyonpaw**

XX

Ludwig was swimming toward an island at full force.

"Damn," he thought as she staggered onto the sandy shore.

"Talking with Alfred about hunting jaguars on my yacht and now this?"

"Damn..."

XX

After drying on the beach for a couple of minutes, the German began to wander through the jungle in hopes of finding any sort of civilization.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of a gunshot echo through the silent forest.

"Where there are gunshots, there are men," he thought excitedly as the thought of civilization made him move faster.

"Where there are men, there is food."

XX

As he came to a clearing in the woods and rested to catch his breath, he heard the click of a rifle behind him.

Turning around quickly, he came face-to-face with a young man with a gun pointed at his heart.

"What's your business here?" the man asked with a sharp British accent.

"My name is Ludwig Keisinger," he said in genuine alarm.

"I'm not a robber."

"The man speaks the truth," said another voice.

"Arthur, put down your gun."

The man, apparently called Arthur, then grudgingly laid his weapon down and another man, taller and clearly more imposing, came out of the shadows of the forest.

"Mr. Ludwig Keisinger," the new gentleman said with an obvious Russian accent.

"It's an honor to meet such an esteemed hunter."

"I am General Ivan and I'll be honored to tend to such an honored guest."

To Ludwig's surprise, Arthur motioned for the German to follow him.

"Is Mr. Ivan going to follow us?" Ludwig asked the Briton as he saw Ivan, who was covered in full hunting regalia, move deeper and deeper into the thick forest.

Arthur smiled darkly.

"He'll join you for dinner," he answered with a chilling tone.

"He just has some business to attend to…"

XX

That night, Ludwig had a bountiful feast with his new host, who proved to be a friendly and knowledgeable gentleman.

"I've read all your books in English, French, and Russian about hunting around the world," Ivan said as he took a sip of his coffee.

"I have also hunted much exotic game as well."

"I can see that," Ludwig answered, noting a big cape buffalo head hanging above his own.

"You must be extremely passionate for the sport, Mr. Ivan."

To his surprise, Ivan just sighed and leaned back in his giant armchair.

"To tell you the truth," he said. "The hunt's beginning to bore me."

"These animals haven't proven to be a challenge to my intellect anymore."

However, Ludwig saw a smile beginning to form on the Russian's face.

"There is one though," he told the German.

"There is one animal that could reason enough to be a worthy kill."

"But no animal can reason…," Ludwig was about to say until it connected in his head.

XX

Ivan smiled as the hunter reached the dark realization.

"That's murder," Ludwig said in shock.

Ivan shrugged at such an answer.

"Come now, Mr. Keisinger," he answered casually.

"You have seen the Great War…isn't that not any different from my pleasure of the hunt?"

"Don't make me condone cold-blooded murder, Mr. Ivan," the German growled.

Then, the Russian got out of his seat, took a pipe out of his jacket, and began to smoke.

"Nevertheless," he told his guest. "Everybody has their place in this world."

"Some are the hunters and some…are the hunted."

In total shock of the man's lack of morals, Ludwig could only stare in complete silence as the Russian waved him off.

"Your room has been furnished," he said crisply.

"You can enjoy the night here and then we can talk about the hunt…tomorrow."

XX

The next morning, Ludwig, tired from the lack of sleep the previous night due to his prevailing shock over Ivan's morality, met with his host at the breakfast table as the Russian related last night's hunt.

"He tried to get away through the swamps," he told his guest dramatically as if he was painting an epic tale.

"However, one nick from the rifle and I earned my kill!"

"It's so moving, so fantastic, so -!"

"General Ivan," Ludwig interrupted as he stood up. "I wish to leave this island."

However, the Russian never stood up. Instead, a smile began to creep across his face.

"Tonight," he proclaimed as he licked his lips. "We will hunt – you and I."

"To hell with that!" Ludwig snarled, though such a display didn't faze the Russian at all.

"It's either that or Arthur, a former bloodthirsty pirate, would play with you for a spin," Ivan answered calmly.

"He's, shall we say, a very _sharp_ individual with lots of skill with…unpleasant things."

Ludwig went pale as he realized what the Russian suggested.

"A h-hunt?" he stammered as he felt the room dip a couple of degrees.

"Yes!" Ivan roared as he stood up with his fist in the air, startling the German even further

"A toast to a foe worthy of my steel!"

Before Ludwig had any time to object to such a ridiculous and dangerous idea, Ivan already left his seat and proceeded to face with his back turned to his guest.

"You'll be given proper hunting equipment for the sport," he dictated as Ludwig, unable to speak, just listened.

"Though the hunt will start at night, I'll allow you to start as soon as possible to give you every possible advantage against me."

"You'll have three days against me."

"If you live until midnight of the third day, I'll let you off the island through my private sloop."

Ivan then turned around with a gleeful grin.

"I just have to tell you, Mr. Keisinger," he told Ludwig with horrifying confidence.

"Ever since I came on this island, I have never lost my prey."

XX

Heeding the Russian's advice, Ludwig took off into the jungle, knowing that Ivan will soon follow.

Sweating from his brow, the German started to create an intricate trail for the Russian to follow. After he was finished, he looked upon it and thought that only the devil could track such a complicated design.

"Maybe Ivan is a devil…," he thought to himself as he suddenly hid as he heard somebody coming through the forest.

In the clearing was General Ivan, who started to gaze at the tracks with an air of curiosity. Ludwig watched as the Russian shook his head a couple of times in confusion as he tried to break through the deception that was created.

Then, Ivan smiled.

Ludwig started to sweat. Did the Russian see through his trap? Since the German only had a pistol, he had absolutely no chance against a well-trained rifle.

After Ivan spent a couple of minutes looking around the area, he shrugged and left the trail with haste.

Ludwig breathed a sigh of relief. It was by a damn close chance that the Russian failed to see through the puzzle he created.

However, another horrifying thought went through his head. Why did Ivan turn back? Ludwig, in cold sweat, looked behind him. Could the Russian be coming from the rear to shoot him in the back?

He now understood the feelings of being hunted – the sheer terror that could dispel any logic in a quarry.

"I will not lose my nerve," he told himself as he started to set a trap for his hunter.

"I will not."

XX

After finishing a trap that consisted of two trees and a trigger, Ludwig hid again for the inevitable.

A couple of minutes later, Ivan came back to finish what he started.

After surveying the environment for a while, the Russian then started to approach the two trees and sprang the trigger with his right foot.

As the larger of the two trees began to fall, Ivan, realizing what he did, stepped back with god-like agility though the tree ripped a large gash on the left side of his shoulder.

Though he silently cursed that the trap didn't kill the Russian, Ludwig felt cold as he heard Ivan's chilling laugh.

"Mr. Keisinger," the Russian laughed. "If you are within the sound of my voice, as I suppose you are, I want to congratulate you on your Malay mancatcher."

"Luckily for me, though, I have hunted in Malacca and saw through your trap."

"I'm going to leave to dress my slight wound, but I'll be back."

After another hearty laugh, Ivan took off back to his estate and, after the hunting boots got fainter and fainter, Ludwig ran for his life.

XX

Dark has settled over the jungle, but Ludwig was still trying to put distance between him and his hunter. As he started to hear hounds get closer to his location, the German got an idea.

Trying a trick that he learned in Uganda, Ludwig got a small sapling, fastened his hunting knife to it, and attached the whole contraption to a small vine. Then, he ran again as the hounds caught a hold of his scent.

He had to get his breath, but, as he did so, the braying of the dogs stopped. Ludwig's own heart stopped as well. They reached the knife.

In pure excitement, the German climbed up a tree to survey the damage. Then, his heart sank as he saw the imposing form of General Ivan still standing. However, there was another familiar figure, the British man Ludwig met a couple days ago, on the ground. The knife, driven by the recoiling of the trees, had not completely failed.

XX

Ivan had an exceedingly good dinner that night, with rich alcohol and meat to satisfy his cravings. However, two things annoyed him greatly, which prevented the Russian from fully enjoying his meal. One was the thought of the difficulty of replacing Arthur; the other was the fact that his prey eluded his own wits.

After reading some classical literature in his study, Ivan was ready for his sleep.

"Oh well," he told himself casually as he turned on the lights to his room.

"Better luck next time."

However, as light enveloped his bedroom, Ivan saw Ludwig, dirty and bruised, standing in the room with his pistol drawn.

"How in the hell did you get here?" Ivan asked with an air of genuine confusion.

"Swam from the ocean," the German answered. "It was easier than walking."

Then, the Russian cracked a smile.

"Congratulations," he told his counterpart. "You have won the game."

To his surprise, Ludwig shook his head.

"I'm still a beast at bay," he responded as he crotched into a military stance.

"Get ready, General Ivan."

Realizing what's going on, Ivan took his own pistol out of his drawer and crotched down as well.

"One of us will serve as a splendid meal to the hounds and the other one will get to sleep in this excellent bed," the Russian said excitedly as he relished at the thought of such a glorious duel.

"On guard, Mr. Keisinger…"

He had never slept in a better bed, Ludwig decided.

XX


End file.
